Phonograph reproducing arm



July 25, 1950 G. E. GUY 2,516,565

PHONOGRAPH REPRODUCING ARM Filed March 30, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rig. 5.

/Q Inventor:

2 Glen E. Guy,

4 '45 'b/WDM His Attorney.

July 255, 29550 G. E. GUY 2,516,565

PHONOGRAPH REPRODUCING ARM Filed March ISO, i948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V128. f5] 4a 49 f ff 45 l I/f/* 5/ 48 f i f90/a 5,9/ 5 Q 53'/ 2 Inventor: Glen E. Guy,

bym. Dm

His Attorney.

Patented July 25, 1950 PHONOGRAPH REPRODUCING ARM Glen E. Guy, Shaker Heights, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation roi' New York Application March so, 194s, serial N'o. 17,969

This invention relates to sound reproducing devices for records of the disc type, and more particularly to an improved reproducing or tone arm for use in such devices.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved tone arm, which is so arranged that undesirable angular variation of the phonograph needle along successive sound grooves of the record is obviated, and substantially distortionless sound reproduction is thereby attained.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a tone arm wherein the reproducing head which carries the phonograph needle is always disposed with its longitudinal axis in a plane tangential to the record grooves along successive convolutions of the record, the needle being shifted in a direction normal to the sound grooves of the record to reduce to zero the component of motion of the needle in the direction of the sound groove and obviate distortion and unpleasant noise in the reproduced sound.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a tone arm in which the reproducing head is always disposed tangential to the sound grooves of the record, and the disposition of the needle associated with the head is therefore such that wear of the record is substantially reduced.

The features of this invention which are be-v lieved to be new are set forth withparticularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together vwith further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein Figs. 1, 2, 4, 6 and 9 are diagrams useful for a clear understanding of the principles of the present invention, Figs. 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 show various embodiments of the proposed invention.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1, wherein there is shown a semi-circle I--Z-3 having a center 4. Two points on the circumference I-2-3 are designated as 5 and and these points are joined to points I, 4 and 3, as shown. It can be demonstrated geometricallythat the angles I-5-3 and |-'6'-3 are right' angles, and also that the angle 1 isw'twioe as great as the angle i and that th angle di is twice as great as the angle z. When the above-described construction is a'p-l plied tothe problemof a phonograph pick-up', point I becomes the center of the turntable, point #becomes the pivot point of the tone arm, arc 2 3 Claims. (Cl. 274-,23)

is the locus of the needle and point 3 is an imagi' nary focus point. When the tone arm, which extends from pivot 4 to any point on arc 2, has a position, for example, 45, and the longitudinal axis of the reproducer head lies along the line 3 5, the axis ofthe head is normal to the line I-5 and is therefore tangential to the sound groove in the record. This relationship holds true for any other point along the arc 2. Y

The above indicates that when the tone arm and the reproducer head are so mounted that the head turns with respect to the tone arm, and a linkage is set up between the two, so that the head is turnedwith an angular speed equal to onehalf that of the tone arm, since 0:1 equals 2,81, the pick-up head maintains a true tangent with respect to the sound grooves of the record, which is the result desired. One arrangement for accomplishing the above desired result is shown in Fig. 2, wherein the head is turned with respect to the tone arm at such a rate'that itslongitudinal axis is always tangential to the record sound grooves. Referring now to Fig. 2,' a pulley 1 is set up at point 4, this pulley being fixed and not free to rotate about its axis. An arm I--4`is` then pivoted at point 4,-this 'arm'being free to swing about this pivot which is the `center point of pulley 1. At point I on arm I-4 a further pulley 8 is mounted, this pulleybeing freely rotatable about point I. Pulley 8 is so constructed that the diameter 9-'I0 thereof is twice the diameter II--I2 of pulley 1. The above-mentioned pulleys are connected by means of a Wire or similar connection I3 this wire being fixed to the pulleys, and not free to slip relative thereto.

When the arm I-4 is moved through an angle AA Therefore, pulley 8 in its new position 8 is rov tated throughA an angle I 5-I '--I IJ', and it can be shown geometrically that the angle I5-I-Ill,

is one-half the angle A. Hence, when arm vI-4l is considered to be a tone arm pivoted at 4, having a pick-up head mounted on pulley 8, the longitudinal axisof the head extending normal to the diameter S-IIJ, and having a needle lcontacting the record grooves at I, then, as the tonev arm swings through an angle A the head moves through arr yangle IS-IQID which is one-half the angle A. The conditions of Fig. 1 are therefore fulfilled and the pick-up maintains a true tangent to the sound grooves of the record.

Fig. 3 shows the proposed assembly, arranged in accordance with the concept disclosed in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. Referring now to Fig. 3 tone arm I6 extends from point 4 to point I', the arm being pivoted at point 4. A fixed pulley 'I is mounted at the pivoted end of arm IG and controls the free pulley 8', the free pulley being mounted at the opposite end of arm IB, this control being effected by way of wire I3. The diameter of pulley 8' is twice that ofv 1, in accordance with the previous discussion. Theturntable is centered at I, and as the record revolves, the needle is constrained by the sound grooves to describe a locus shown as the arc 2. The pick-up head is mounted on pulley 8 with its horizontal axis extending along the line 3--I'. The present arrangement is such that as thetone'a'r'm rotates', the head is also rotated in such a manner that its longitudinal axis always passes through thev f point 3, and the plane of vibration of theneedle always extends along the line I-I' and is perpendicular to the sound.. grooves of the record. Therefore, the necessary conditions for distortionless reproduction are fulfilled. l

It can be seen that a disadvantage of the abovedescribed system is that it utilizes a wire to maintain the desired tangential relationship' between the reproducer head and the: reco-rd grooves. In accordance with the present invention, I provide a system in which rigid arms replace the wire, and in which the above-mentioned disadvantage is therefore cbviated. Itis apparent that the use of the two pivot points; of the previouslydescribed systems, in a system using rigid arms does not accomplish the required result, as the feature of the gradualchangein position of the points II and I2 of Fig. 2l is not realized in the usual' system using pivoted, rigid arms. The system shown in Fig. 4, however, overcomes this by use of a cam arrangement whichVV gradually shifts the pivot points, thereby giving rise to the desired relationship between the, angular motion of the reproducer head' and of the tone arm. Referring now to Fig. 4, the tone arm it` is pivoted at 4,

and has an arm B-IIl mounted at the free end.

The exthereof, this arm being pivoted at I. tremities 9 and I0 of arm 9-I are coupled to pivot points I'I and I8 by rigid arms I9 andA 20 respectively, pivot points I'I and I-B being movable, in a mannerto be described. Whenthe arm IIB takes up a new positionv IE', pivot points Il and I8 are shifted to new positions I-I and |18 by a cam arrangement carried by the tone. arm.. This cam arrangement is described later in the discussion of the construction of Fig. 5. The pivot points I1 and I-8 are shifted back and-forth in the direction of the arrows, and the cam is so arranged that the rotation of arm 9-I Il about` point I to any position 9'-l0 is such that when arm S-II) is mounted normal to the longitudinal axis ofthe reproducer head, and the pointlI represents the center of the turntable, the reproducer head may be given the correct-positionl for tangential tracking for any position of arm I6, which accomplishes the previously described desired Vresult. v

Apossible construction of atone arm whichoperates in accordance with the above-described system is shown in` Fig. 5, `where. the larm I6 is mounted normal lto shaft I6", which in turn is pivoted in swivel bearing 22, thisVy Vbearing beingy 4Ilxedto chassis 23 by vmeansvof screws/2.4. I Toney 4 arm I6 carries, rigidly fixed thereto, a disc-like member 25 which acts as a cam for pivot members 25 and 2l which are carried in a slot 28 formed in member 25. Pivot members 2S and 2l' are constrained to move in one plane only by means of slots 29 and 30 formed respectively in brackets 3i and 32, brackets 3l and 32 being mounted on chassis 23 by means of screws 33.

Tone arm I6 carries an end piece 34 at its free end, this end piece having a spindle 35 rotatably mounted thereon. Arm 36 is rigidly nxed to spindle 35 and the angular motion of this arm rotates the above-mentioned pin and hence pickup head 3l. The extremities of arm 3S are coupled to pivot members 2S and 2l respectively by a pair of rigid arms 38 and 39. Needle 4t mounted in head 3l' contacts record 3I, this record being carried by the usual turntable 42.

As the record 4I rotates and causes needle 4i] to follow the sound grooves of the record, tone arm i6 is thereby caused to rotate about pivot 22. The angular movement of tone arm it causes Vdisc-member 25 to rotate and the motion of 25 is translated to arm 36 by linkage arms 138 and 39. As previously described, the slot 28 in member 25 is so cammed that arm 3&3 and hence spindle 35 and head 3l are given such a motion, relative to the motion of the tone arm I6, that the longitudinal axis of head 3l is always disposed in a plane tangential to the record sound grooves and the plane of vibration of the needle is always perpendicular to these grooves.

A modification of the invention is shown diagram-matically in Fig. 6 in which the tone arm is designated by line 4--I, this arm being pivoted at point 4. 'I'one arm Li--I has a further arm `9-I|l pivoted to its free end at I, and the arm S-I is linked to a disc 43 by rigid arms I 9 and2Il. The diameter of disc 43. is equal to the length of ar-m 9-IIL The arms I9 and 2B are pivoted at points il and if! on arm 9-I-8, and also at points 44 and 45 on a disc 43. Disc 434 isgeared to the tone arm, in a manner to be described, so that this disc is driven by thel tone `arm, as the latter rotates, at half its angular speed. Therefore, -when tone arm 4-I moves through` anang-le 6 to a new position 4I, disc 43 rotates through an angle It can be shown that when the reproducer` head is mounted lwith its longitudinal axis normal t'o the arm 9-l, itis always tangential to the sound grooves of a record centered at I, as the tone arm 4--I revolves about the point 4.

Figs. 7 and 8 show a plan and elevation Vview. of .f

44 being rigidly xedthereto. A further idler shaft 45 is mounted adjacent to shaft I6' and carries a pair of discs 45 and 4l rigidly xed thereto.

As shown in Fig. 5, when tone .arm I' 'is moved shaft I6 rotates and in thepresent case causesA disc 44 to rotate which in turn by friction, or

other means, 'drives disc 46. Shaft 45 is free to rotate' and rotation of disc 46 causes this shaft and hence disc 4l to rotate. Disc 41 in turn drives the yrotatably mounted disc 43, hence turning discfin thesame direction as shaft II.. The various discs may be so proportioned that disc, 43 turns at One-half the angular; Speedrof shaft 5.". I6. As shown in Fig. 6, rigid arms I9 and 20 are pivoted on disc 33, and hence the desired relative motion is imparted to the vreproducer head, which may be mounted along the arm -I' in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

.Yet another modification of the invention is shown diagrammatically in Fig..9 in which 'the center of the turntable is designated at 48, and the needle point is driven along the arc 49. The

tone arm is shown as 56-48 and is pivoted at point 56. A guide arm is represented as 5l-52, and the guide arm is pivoted at point 52. The distance between the pivot points 5G and 52 is made equal to the length of the arm SIe-48, arm til-48 being pivoted at points 5l andx48. It can be seen, from parallelogram construction, that as the tone arm 56-48 is rotated to a new position Eil-G8', arm 5l-46 in its new position 5l-48' is still parallel to the line joining pivot points 52 and 50. Point 53 is a fixed point on guide arm 52-5l and a further arm 48-53 pivots and slides at this point as the tone arm and guide arm rotates about the respective pivot points 50 and 52. The angle 53-66-5ii is made equal to 45, this angle being fixed for all positions of the tone arm.

When the tone arm swings through an angle 0, and assumes a new position 5'-48, arm HV-53 assumes a new length and remains at 45 to arm 48-54 in its new position 4854. shown that the arm IlB- is turned an angle from the arm My ii in its new position 48-54. Hence the arm t-E rotates about point 48 at half the angular speed of tone arm 56-418 and the previously described prerequisites for tangential tracking are fullled. Therefore, when the reproducer head is mounted with its longitudinal axis along the arm life-54, its motion relative to the motion of the tone arm is such that its longitudinal axis is tangential to the sound grooves of a record centered at point e8 and the desired results are obtained.

In Figs. 10 and l1 which show plan and elevation views of one construction of a tone arm in accordance with the principles discussed in connection with Fig. 9, tone arm 55 is pivoted at point 5i] and carries tone head 56 at its free end. Head 56 has a stud fixed thereto, arms 53, 59 and 60 being rotatably mounted on this stud. Stud 5l also carries a reproducer head 6l rotatably mounted thereon as shown. Arm 58 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the reproducing head links stud 5l to a further stud 62 mounted on head ti and itself is fixed to arm 59 in such a manner that the angle therebetween is 45, in accordance with the principles previously laid down in conjunction with Fig. 8. Arm 59 is slidably and rotatably attached to rigid arm 63 by means of stud 6i sliding in slot 65, this slot being formed in arm 59. Arm 66 is pivotally mounted on arm 63 by means of stud 66. Arm 63 is pivoted at point 6l. Needle 68 is mounted in producer head 6l along the axis of stud 5l.

As previously shown in Fig. 9, as tone arm 55 moves about pivot 56 it causes head 6l to move about pivot point 57. The last-described movement is effected by arm 59 in its motion with respect to arm 63. As the arm 59 is permanently xed at an angle of 45 to arm 58, the motion of reproducer head 6I as the tone arm moves about its pivot point 56 is such that the longi- It can be tudinal axis ...of the head is lalways tangentialto the sound grooves of the record. l. The invention therefore providesa tone arm havinga :movable reproducer yhead Aassociated therewith, and `provides linkage .mechanismA be; tween the tone arm and the reproducer` head,. so arranged, that motion of the tone arm is transe mitted to the head in such a Way that the longin tudinal axis of the head is always tangential to the sound grooves of the record, and thevibra tion of the needle is always in a'planenormal `to these scundgrooves. With such an arrangement distortion in the reproduced sound and wearv of the record are reduced to a minimum.

While certain embodiments have beenshown and described, it will of course be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover any such modifications within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A tone arm mechanism for use in devices for reproducing sound from records of the disc type, comprising, a member pivoted at a point, said member being capable of angular motion about said point, means including a stud member for mounting a reproducing head at the free end of said member, said stud member being substantially at one extremity of said head, a rigid arm member pivoted at a point adjacent said first-mentioned pivot point, a first arm member coupling the free end of said rigid arm member to said stud member and pivoted to the free end of said rigid member and to said stud member, a second arm member coupling said stud member to a further stud member, said further stud member being mounted on said head and said second arm being pivoted to said firstmentioned stud member and to said further stud member, a third arm member coupling said firstmentioned stud member to said rigid arm member, said third arm member being pivoted to said first-mentioned stud member and slidably and rotatably engaging a further stud member, said last-mentioned stud member being mounted on said rigid arm member, said third arm member being iixedly disposed at an angle substantially 45 to said second arm member, the arrangement being such that rotation of said first-mentioned member about said first-mentioned pivot point causes said reproducing head to rotate about said first-mentioned stud member at substantially half the angular speed of said rstmentioned member.

2. A tone arm mechanism for use in devices for reproducing sounds from records of the disc type comprising, a member pivoted at a point and arranged for angular motion about said point, a reproducing head rotatably mounted on said member at the free end thereof, a second member pivoted at a point adjacent said firstmentioned pivot point, an arm member connected between the free ends of said first and second members, a second arm member pivotally connected to said head and slidably connected to said second member at a point intermediate the pivoted and free ends thereof, and a third arm member rigidly connected to said second arm member and attached to said reproducing head at a point axially displaced from said rotatable mounting.

3. A tone arm mechanism for use in devices for reproducing sounds from records of the disc type comprising, a pairof substantially parallelmembers each pivoted a1; fixed spaced points, each of said members bei-ng. capable. of angular motion about said points,. a reproducing head rotatably mounted upon the, free end of one of said members, ai rigid. arm member pivotally connected te the free ends of both. of said members, a seoondi rigid .arm member pivotally connected'` to the free end of said one member and slidably connected to the second of said members at a pointintermediate the ends thereof, and a rigid connection between said second arm member and a point on said reproducing head spaced from the point of. connection thereof to the ree. end of said one member.

Y GLEN E. GUY,

REFERENCES. CITEDy The' following references are of record in tHe e of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS l Date Numbery Name 1,349,636v Swing Aug. 17, 1920 1,438,642 Graham Deo. 12, 1922 1,963,673 Patine June 19, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 300,.'Z0 Great Britain Nov. 12,. 1928 '728,245 France July 2, 1932 3985262 Great Britain Sept. 14,v 1933 Denmark Oct. 1, 1933 

